Relaxation inducing apparatus



March 28, 1950 w. BRocKwAY ETAL 2,501,808

RELAXATION INDUCING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4. 1947 6.3 @d J C D @6? L) Patented Mar. 28, 1950 -RELAXATIQNINDUCING APPARATUS lWilhelm W. 'Brockway and Lesliel fLe Cron, yLos Angeles, `and .Jack H. Young, Playa Del Ray,

Calif.

.Applicationjanuary 4, 1947, Serial No. 720,268

(Cl. 'LUI-97) .il vThis invention relates to apparatus `for induc- -ing relaxation-and sleep. iIn general, the invention has as its object to-provide-an improved apparatus for producing a series of interrupted sound impulses or light flashes (or both) repeated in regular-succession at Yuniformlyvspaced intervals oftime'of properduration for maximum relaxing eflect. The-sound impulses vare of a type which we prefer 'to Vdesignate as tones, being preferably of a musical vcharacter -rather than mere noise, Yand Valso preferably vof a monotone character (single pitch) yalthough succeeding =notes of different pitch, recurring in a regular pattern or melody, -may `be employed.

-A specific `object of our-invention is toprovide t lent invention deals is that of `providing an extremely simple and inexpensive timing -`mechanism for controlling the tones and light flashes. l

Specically, in `this connection, 'the invention :aimsto provide lan arrangement inwhic'h fthe arnotor device utilizes the movablearm `of the light control switchinconnection with a bi-metalibow,

intermittently heated by the current passing through .the switch, to provide a reciprocating motor for actuating a tone-producing'devce and, at'fthe same time, driving ashorttrain of gears in which is 1 incorporated fan adjustable Atiming .device for determining theperiod-of vOperation.

Other objects ofzthe invention will become fapparent in the'ensuing specicationsandclaims, in connection with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front :view of a'vsleep-inducingdevice embodying :our invention;

Fig. .-2 is aV vertical' longitudinal sectional vlewo'f the apparatus with the front' removed;

Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional :view `of the time-setting mechanism, taken on ythe Vline 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is -a detailsectional -view of the timesetting mechanism taken on the line 4--4 'of Fig.2.

As'an example ofV one form in which the invention may be embodied, :we have `shown vinthe drawings a sleeiza-inducine,r apparatus which Ais mounted in a-rectangular lcese 5-which mayinclude an integral :front wall 6 and a removable rear-wall -1 securedfas perexample, `oy nscrews "8.

The apparatus may, as shown, be `largely supuported upon the Tear wall 1.

Light is produced `by a small electric lamp 9 mounted in a lampsocket `rIllwhich is carried on a bracket -I I. yThe lamp 9 4is mounted directly behind an opening'in lthefront wall/6 of the casing 5, inwhich opening'is secured-a lens orbubble I2 of translucent glass or plastic material, preferably colored.

The tones are produced by a musical reed I3 w'henpluckedbya-plectrum I4. The'plectrum I4 is Jpivoted at IE'uponthe movableend of a flexibleiswitch'arrn I6. The switch'arm l-carries'a contact 'Il, which cooperates with a contact `I8 carried by a flexible switch varm I-9, to-providea switch Lthatis vadapted-to intermittently close and 'open'to make and break 'a'circut for energizing *the larnpS. For closing and openingthe switch, the movableswitch arm I6 is flexed 'back and-forthby a thermo-responsive, lbig-metal bow 20, the'ends of which are securedto theiswitch arm JI6 andthe intermediate Aportion of which is wound with a heating coil 2|. vOne end of the coil`2I is conf nected tothe contact :Il and `thustc the switch arm 1B, which is YO15-metal, 'andthe other end of the coil y2tiis connected to a bus bar 22.

The bracketl I, switch arms 'I9 and I6, bus bar 22 and reed' I'3 are mounted 'between successive blocks of insulating material 23, 24, 25, 2li, and 21, secured to and supported in-stacked relation upon Aa horizontalarm2'8 oa bracket"29 secured at '30 to the rear Walllof'the casing`5. These parts are secured together by bolts 3| extending ,i through the entire stack and clamping the parts .V oi and on by an electric switch 3 3 which is shown as beingmounted on the bottom of the Ycasingli, with the cord 32 coming ,up through 'the bottom 5. From the switch 3.3, a lead Wire '34 extends to the bus bar 22 and another lead Wire 35 extends tothe upper switch arm I9. VThe bus bar 122 :is connected to the`bracket II by a conductor "36, and the rear contact ofthe socket I0 is connected to the switcharm I6 bya conductor'l. Thes'ide contact of the socket `Il) is connected .electrically to the bracket II,'Wh.ile the rear contact is insu- 3 1ated therefrom, as indicated at 38. Thus, there are established the following circuits:

To the lamp 9-conductor 34, conductor 36,v

engages, consecutively, the teeth of a ratchetv wheel 4-I. Each closing movement of the switch arm I6 will advance the ratchet wheel 4I a distance corresponding to the length of one tooth.

The parts are so arranged that, as the pawl 48 thus moves upwardly, the plectrum I4 will, after bending the reed I3 upwardly, disengage from .the end of the reed so as to permit the reed to vibrate and to produce a musical note. Such disengagement may be facilitated by a slight counterclockwise rotation (as viewed in Fig. 2) of the plectrum and pawl lever about the pivot I5, caused by the path of movement enforced by the periphery of the ratchet wheel 4I. Alternatively, the disengagement may be caused by the foreshortening of the reed I3 as it is bent upwardly into arcuate shape.

Any suitable spring means acting between the arm I6 and the pawl plectrum lever, such as the light leaf spring 42, may be employed for constantly urging the pawl 49 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 4|.

The ratchet wheel 4I is journaled in the casing .5 on a shaft 43 and drives a pinion 44 which meshes with a gear 45. The gear 45 is journaled in the casing 5 on a shaft 46 and drives a pinion 41 which meshes with a gear 48. The gear 48 is journaled in the casing 5 on a shaft 49 and has clutching coaction with a disc 50 which is also journaled on the shaft 49, being provided with a tubular hub 5I into which the shaft 49 extends. The hub 5I extends through an opening inthe iront wall 6 of the casing and to the outer end of the hub is secured a knob 5.2 having a pointer 53. The pointer cooperates with a dial I54 on the outer'face of the wall 6, the dial 54 being calibrated to indicate minutes.

The clutching lconnection between the gear 48 and disc 5I] may comprise simply a plurality of teeth 54 formed by punching tongues out of the web of the gear 48 and a single tooth 55 in the form of a tongue punches out of the disc 50. The hub of the gear 48 is loosely mounted on the shaft 49 to permit the gear to shift axially, and a coil spring 56 may be employed to urge the gear into clutching engagement with the disc 5I). The coil spring 56 may encircle the hub of the gear and be under compression between 'the gear and a boss 51, in which the shaft 49 is mounted.

In the periphery of the disc 50 is a notch 58 which, when the pointer 53 is opposite the zero mark on the dial 54, is adapted to receive a -lug 59 on the end of the switch arm I9. The switch arm I9, which is of resilient metal, is biased toward a position in which the lug 59 rests in the bottom of the notch 58, and will assume this position when the notch 58 is brought into registry with the lug '59. In this position, the contact I8 is withdrawn out of reach of the contact I1 so that it is impossible for the switch to close. Thus, the dropping of the 1ug59 into the notch 58 4 serves to shut off the apparatus, and the switch 33 may, if desired, be dispensed with.

In the operation of our improved sleep-induc ing apparatus, the switch 33 is closed in order to establish an electric circuit up to the bus bar 22 and upper switch arm I9. The knob 52 is then rotated to bring the pointer 53 opposite a position on the dial 54'corresponding'to the number of minutes that it is desired to have the apparatus operate. When the apparatus is cold, the arm I6 will be relatively straight, so as to position the contact I1 where the contact I8 will engage the same as the result of the rotation of the knob 52.y That is, the lug 59 will be forced out of the notch 58 by Ia. camming surface on one side of the notch 58 `as the knob 52 is rotated away from the zero positiomthus moving the contact -I 8 into engagement with 'contact I1.

With the switch thus closed, a circuit for energizing lamp 9 will be established from switch 33 to conductor 34, conductor 36, bracket II, socket I0, conductor 31, lower switch arm I6, contacts I1 and I8, upper switch arm I 9, and conductor 35. Simultaneously, a circuit will be established to heating coil 2I through conductor 35, bus bar 22, switch contacts I1 and I 8, upper switch arm I9, and conductor 35. Each of these circuits will remain established until the heating of the bimetal bow 20 by the heating coil 2I has caused the bow to expand to the point where it overcomes the inherent resiliency of the arm IE and causes the latter to bowr downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. This downward movement will occur with a snap action owing to the fact that in the raised position of the contact I1, the arm I6 is bowed reversely to its bowing in the lower position shown in Fig. 2. The movement to the lower position brings the hook 39 beneath the end of the reed I3, the lower surface of the hook 39 being cammed so as to permit it to slip by the end of the reed, rotating the plectrum I4 slightly counter-clockwise against the resistance of the spring 42 as it thus passes the reed. The parts are thus brought to the positions shown in Fig. 2.

With the switch thus opened, the heating coil 2I commences to cool. The cooling of the coil and bow 20 causes the latter to undergo a contracting stress which, when the cooling has progressed to a certain point, will overcome the bow in the arm I6 and cause it to snap back to its reversely bowed position, bringing the contact I1 into engagement with the contact I8. At the same time, the plectrum I4 wil] pluck the reed I3 to produce a musical note coincident with the re-lighting of the lamp 9. This completes one cycle of operation, which will be followed by subsequent similar cycles of operation as long as the lug 59 remains in engagement with the periphery of the disc 50. When the time period predetermined by the setting of the knob 52 has elapsed, the lug 59 will drop into the notch 58, removing the contact I8 from the reach of the contact I1, as previously stated and discontinuing the operation of the apparatus.

We claim:

l. In a device for inducing relaxation, a switch embodying a movable switch element, a device for producing sensory impulses in response to movement of said switch element, a thermo-responsive device including a heating coil controlled by said switch, for alternately moving said switch element to switch lclosing and switch opening positions, and timing mechanism actuated by the movements of said switch element, for rendering the device inoperative at, the end of a predetermined time interval.

2f. In a device for inducing relaxation, a switch embodying a pair of movable switch elements one of which is adapted to actuate, a device for producing sensory impulses, a thermo-responsive device including a heating element controlled by said switch, for intermittently moving said one switch element between said positions, and timing mechanism actuated by the movements of said one switch element, for holding the other switch element in a position in which it may be intermittently contacted by said one switch element for a predetermined period of time and then causing the movement of said other switch element to a position removed from the reach of said one switch element, thereby terminating the. operation of the device.

3. In a device for inducing relaxation, a switch including a pair of movable switch elements one of which is adapted to actuate, a device for producing sensory impulses, thermo-responsive means including a heating coil controlled by said switch, for intermittently moving said one switch element between switch closing and switch opening poistions, means actuated by the movements of said one switch element, said means including a member that is movable into engagement with said other switch element and adapted to maintain said other switch element in a position in which it may be engaged by said one switch element from a starting point to a point where said member is cut away to release said other switch element to a position withdrawn out of reach oi' said one switch element, thereby terminating the operation of the device, and means for adjusting the starting position of said member whereby 'to vary the distance between said starting point and said release point, thereby to vary the period of operation of the device.

4. In a relaxation-inducing device, a switch embodying a pair of movable switch elements, means controlled by said switch for moving one of said elements between switch opening and switch closing positions, one of said switch elements being adapted, in its movements between said positions, to actuate an element for producing sensory impulses, timing mechanism including a member having a bearing portion for engaging the other switch element and thereby holding it in a positionv inv which it may be contacted by said one switch element, from a starting position to a release position in which said member is adapted to release said other switch element for movement to a position withdrawn out of reach of said one switch element, thereby terminating the operation oi the device, and means for setting the starting position of said member in order to vary the distance between the starting position and the release position and thereby vary the period of operation of the device.

5. In a device for inducing relaxation, including a means for producing sensory impulses, the combination of: a switch embodying a pair of movable switch elements, means for intermittently moving one of said switch elements between switch closing and switch opening positions, the other switch element being biased toward an inoperative position removed from the reach of said one switch element, timing mechanism including a member having a bearing portion for engaging said other switch element and maintaining it in a position in which it may be contacted by said one switch element in the switch closing position thereof, said member being movable from a starting position toa release position in which it is adapted to release said other switch element for movement to the inoperative position, thereby terminating the operation of the device, and having means for setting the starting position so as to vary the period of operation of said device said one switch element being adapted to actuate said sensory impulse producing means.

6. In a device for inducing relaxation, including a tone producing device, the combination of z a switch embodying a movable switch element, means carried by said movable switch element and operable to intermittently actuate said toneproducing device in timed relation to the movements ci said switch element, and a thermo-responsive device including a heating element controlled by said switch, for intermittently moving said movable switch element between switch closingV and switch opening positions.

7. In a relaxation-inducing device including a tone-producing reed and an electric lamp for producing sleep-inducing light flashes, the combination of: a switch including a movable switch element, means controlled by said switch for intermittently moving said switch element between switch closing and switch opening positions in which said lamp. is illuminated and extinguished respectively, and a plectrum carried. by said movable switch element and arranged to pluck said reed during movement of said switch element toward one of said positions.

3. In a device for inducing relaxation including tone-producing means and an electric lamp for producing sleep-inducing light impulses, the combinationy of: an electric switch including a switch element movable between a switch closing position in which said lamp is energized and a switch opening position in whichy said lamp is extinguished, and means for intermittently moving said movable switch arm between said positions, said switch being arranged to actuate said toneproducing means intermittently in timed relation to its own movement.

9. In a relaxation-inducing device including tone-producing means and an electric lamp for producing sleep-inducing light impulses, the combination of: an electric switch embodying a switch element movablebetween a switch closing position in which said lamp is energized and a switch opening position in which said lamp is ex'- tinguished, means for intermittently moving said switch element between said positions, said last means including means intermittently energized and der-energized by the closing and opening of said switch, said switch being arranged to actuate said tone-producing means intermittently in timed relation to its own movements, and timing mechanism, actuated by said movable switch element, adapted to render said switch inoperative at the end of a predetermined period of operation.

10. In a relaxation-inducing device including a tone-producing reed, a combination including: an electric lamp for producing a relaxation-inducing light impulse, an electric switch including a pair of movable switch elements, one of which is reciprocable between a switch closing position in which said lamp is energized and a switch opening position in which said lamp is extinguished, means for intermittently moving said one switch element between said positions, said last means including actuating means energized and deenergized by the closing and opening of said switch respectively, a plectrum carried by said movable switch element and adapted to pluck said reed during movement of said movable switch element toward one of said positions, and timing mechanism including a rotatable member having a bearing portion for engaging said other switch element and maintaining it in a position in which it may be contacted by said one switch element, until said rotatable member reaches a position in which it is adapted to release said other switch element for movement to an inoperative position, out of reach of said one switch element, and driving means actuated by said one switch element in its movements between said positions, for slowly rotating said rotatable member from a starting position to said release position.

l1. Sleep-inducing apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which said driving mechanism includes a pawl pivoted to said one switch element, a ratchet wheel actuated by said pawl, and a train of gearing connecting said ratchet wheel to said rotatable member.

12. In a sleep-inducing apparatus including a tone-producing reed, the combination of: a switch including a pair of movable switch elements, one of which is movable between switch closing and switch opening positions, thermoresponsive means for intermittently moving said one switch element between said positions, said thermo-responsive means including a heating coil energized and die-energized by the closing and opening of said switch respectively, a lever pivoted to said movable switch element, one end of said lever being provided with a plectrum for plucking said reed as said one switch element moves toward the switch closing position, and timing mechanism including a ratchet wheel and a pawl on the other end of said lever for intermittently advancing said ratchet wheel, a train of gearing driven by said ratchet wheel, and a notched disc driven by said train of gearing and adapted to engage the other of said switch elements to hold it in a position for engagement by said one switch element until it has been rotated to a release position in which it permits said other switch element to move to an inoperative position out of reach of said one switch element, thereby terminating the operation of said device.

13, Sleep-inducing apparatus as deiined in claim 12, including an electric lamp for producing sleep-inducing light impulses energized by the closing of said switch and de-energized by the opening of said switch.

14. In a sleep-inducing apparatus comprising means for producing sensory impulses, the com 8 l bination of: an electric switch for intermittently actuating said means, said switch including a pair of movable elements, one of which is biased away from an operative position in which it may be engaged by the other switch element toward an inoperative position out oi reach of said other element, means for intermittently moving said other switch element between a switch closing position in which it is adapted to engage said one switch element when the latter .is in its operative position, and a switch opening position, means for reciprocating' said other switch element between said positions, said means including electrical actuating means energized and deenergized respectively by the closing and opening of said switch, and timing mechanism including a ratchet wheel, a pawl carried by said other switch element and operable to advance said ratchet wheel as said other switch element moves toward one of said positions, a train of gears driven by said ratchet wheel, a rotatable disc the periphery of which is adapted to bear against said one switch element to maintain the latter in its operative position until the disc has been rotated to a release position in which it is provided with a notch permitting said one switch element to move to the inoperative position, a clutch for transmitting drive from said train of gears to said disc, and means for setting said disc in various positions oi said notch with reference to said one switch element to vary the period of operation of the device, said clutch being adapted to release the driving connection between said train of gears and said disc to permit said setting.

15. Sleep-inducing apparatus as defined in claim 14, in which said clutch is a one-way clutch and in which the setting is effected by rotating said disc ahead of the train of gears in the direction in which it is driven by said clutch.

WILHELM W. BROCKWAY. LESLIE LE CRGN. JACK H. YGUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references of record in the iile oi' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,697 Pinolet Mar. 18, 1890 1,785,397 Shoenberg et al. Dec. 16, 1930 2,263,051 Rittenhouse et al, c Nov. 13, 1941 2,293,671 Alexander Aug. 18, 1942 

